AU2001100370A4 - Improvements to augers - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): BRIAN INVESTMENTS PTY LTD Invention Title: "IMPROVEMENTS TO AUGERS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: Improvements to Augers The present invention relates to an auger for removing particulate material from a storage bin or hopper.

Particulate material, and in particular grain, is often stored in storage bins. These storage bins are often located with the bottom near or below ground level. In order to remove the grain from the storage bin the grain is direct, via a hopper, into an auger which moves the grain in a relatively upward direction for further transport, etc.

Existing augers have an outlet tube section that is bolted to the main barrel of the auger at one end. A drive means, in the form of a motor, is bolted to the other end of the outlet tube section. An outlet spout of the tube section is normally angled by about 400 from the vertical to give the grain momentum as it exits the spout and lands on a conveyor. The momentum given to the exiting grain assists in eliminating blockages and back-up of the grain as well as minimising spillage.

Often an auger will be moved from one site to another. If the conveyor at the new site moves in the opposite direction to the conveyor at the previous site, the outlet spout will by facing in the wrong direction. A time consuming operation of removing the pipe section from the main barrel must then occur in order to change the direction of the outlet spout.

This normally involves use of a crane due to the weight of the drive.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved auger that does not suffer from this problem.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an auger for removing particulate material from a storage bin or hopper, said auger comprising at least: an elongate tube having a main section, which includes an inlet at a first end of the tube for receiving particulate material, and an outlet section; a central shaft inside the tube, rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the central shaft, the central shaft having a helical flight long its length for moving particulate material H:\piaKcpl\Spec4l326 IMPROVEMENTS TO AUGERS INNOV PAT.doc 12/09/01 from the inlet to an outlet of the outlet section as the central shaft rotates; and a drive means for rotating the central shaft, the outlet section including a tube member and a sleeve arranged to circumferentially surround at least a part of the tube member, the sleeve member being moveable with respect to the tube member, the sleeve including a spout arranged to align with an opening in the tube member in a plurality of positions, whereby the spout can be positioned in a plurality of positions with respect to the tube member to divert the egress of particulate material.

Preferably the opening is arc shaped and extends around a portion of the circumference of the tube member.

Preferably the sleeve includes a securing means for securing the sleeve in a desired position in relation to the tube member. Preferably the securing means is in the form of the sleeve acting as a clamp on the tube member.

Preferably the tube member includes retaining means to prevent the sleeve from sliding along the length of the tube member.

Preferably the sleeve may be positioned between 600 either side of a vertical plane. More preferably the outlet spout may be positioned 400 either side of a vertical plane.

In order to provide a better understanding, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cut-away side elevation of an improved auger in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tube member of the improved auger of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a sleeve mounted on the tube member of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the section A-A of the auger of Figure 1 showing the tube member and sleeve of Figures 2 and 3.

HMpiOXoqSp.%4326 IMPROVEMENTS TO AUOERS INNOV PAT.do 12/09/1 Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an improved auger 10 of the present invention, which includes an elongate tube 12, (often referred to as the barrel), an outlet section 14 and a drive means 16. The barrel 12 has an inlet at one end that is not shown. Inside the barrel 12 a central shaft 18 extends along a longitudinal axis of the barrel 12. The central shaft 18 is provided with a helical flight 20. The drive means 16 is arranged to rotate the central shaft 18 and thus the helical flight 20 about the central axis of the barrel 12.

The outlet section 14 includes a tube member 22 that is aligned with the barrel 12 and serves to extend the length of the barrel 12. The drive means 16 is bolted at 26 to an opposite end of the tube member 22. It can be seen that the helical flight 20 extends into and through at least a portion of the tube member 22.

Circumferentially surrounding the tube member 22 is a sleeve 28. The sleeve 28 need not completely surround the tube member 22, but does so in the preferred embodiment. The tube member 22 includes an opening on its underside at 30. The opening is arcuate and extends around almost half of the circumference of the tube member. The sleeve includes a spout 32 that is aligned with the opening Referring to Figure 2, the opening 30 can be seen extending around a portion of the circumference of tube member 22. The arc extends approximately 1600 around the circumference of the shaft member. The width of the opening is approximately the diameter of the outlet spout 32.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, it can be seen that the sleeve 28 is able to circumferentially rotate about the tune 22. In doing so, the position of the spout may be moved so as to have it's axis approximately 40° either side of vertical. Therefore grain passing through the tube 22 can exit via the opening 30 and enter the spout 32 by an opening 34 in the spout 32.

The spout 32 can direct particulate material either right or left of the barrel 12 depending on the orientation of the spout 32.

HANpi.p\pS.c\p432R6 IMPROVEMENTS To AUGERS INNOV PAT.do- 12M I The sleeve 28 is preferably in the form of a clamp is provided with a pair of flanges 42 that almost meet and can be secured by bolts extending through holes 40, so as to clamp the sleeve 28 onto the tube 22. The clamping arrangement thus provides a securing means 36 that is relatively easy to secure or release so as to move the position of the spout 32. The tube 22 may also be provided with stops 38 that prevent the sleeve 28 from sliding longitudinally the length of the tube 22. The stops 38 therefore ensure that the sleeve 28, and in particular the spout 32, is correctly aligned with the opening The skilled addressee will clearly realised the benefit of the present invention, which enables an auger to operate so as to eject particulate material either to it's left or right.

Changing the orientation of the spout is relatively easy, the bolts through the holes 40 are merely loosened and the spout moves to a new position. The bolts are then tightened again. The present invention obviates the need to remove the drive 16 that is usually attached by numerous bolts. Also obviates the need to detach the tube member from the barrel 12 which again is normally attached by numerous bolts.

Modifications and variations may be made to the present invention without departing from the basic inventive concept. Such modifications may include varying the angle that the spout may move through, or providing an alternative securing means for fixing the position of the spout. Such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description and appended claims.

H: JCT.o Sp-p432S6 IMPROVEMENTS TO AUGERS INNOV PAT.do 12M9/01

Claims (4)

1. An auger for removing particulate material from a storage bin or hopper, said auger comprising at least: an elongate tube having a main section, which includes an inlet at a first end of the tube for receiving particulate material, and an outlet section; a central shaft inside the tube, rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the central shaft, the central shaft having a helical flight long its length for moving particulate material from the inlet to an outlet of the outlet section as the central shaft rotates; and a drive means for rotating the central shaft, the outlet section including a tube member and a sleeve arranged to circumferentially surround at least a part of the tube member, the sleeve member being moveable with respect to the tube member, the sleeve including a spout arranged to align with an opening in the tube member in a plurality of positions, whereby the spout can be positioned in a plurality of positions with respect to the tube member to divert the egress of particulate material.

2. An auger according to claim 1, wherein the opening is arc shaped and extends around a portion of the circumference of the tube member.

3. An auger according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a securing means for securing the sleeve in a desired position in relation to the tube member.

4. An auger according to claim 1, wherein the securing means is in the form of a sleeve acting as a clamp on the tube member. An auger according to claim 1, wherein the tube member includes retaining means to prevent the sleeve from sliding along the length of the tube member. H:*I.M,,Spp43296 IMPROVEMENTS TO AOERS INNOV PAT.do, 12ZMEOI